Matboard, which typically has a paperboard or cardboard composition, is provided in a variety of decorative surface colors. The decorative color is limited to substantially the display surface of the matboard. The color of the matboard below the display surface is typically a light color different than the surface color, such as a shade of white or beige.
A groove provided in such matboard around the matboard opening will thus reveal the underlying matboard color in contrast with the matboard display surface color. This can provide a decorative and pleasing effect.
Because the central opening is typically cut in the matboard with a matboard cutting machine or cutter, accessory devices have been developed for use with such matboard cutting machines for cutting a V-groove in the matboard. Such accessory devices use the matboard cutting machine to guide the V-groove cutting device so as to provide a V-groove outwardly of the matboard region which contains, or which will subsequently contain, the central opening for the artwork or other piece to be displayed.
Conventional devices or methods for cutting decorative grooves in matboard are not completely satisfactory, especially with respect to cutting V-grooves in a polygon configuration, such as a rectangle. Some systems are relatively complicated and require a number of steps which are relatively time consuming.
For example, in one system employing a conventional mat-cutting machine, a drop-out piece, which is larger than the final opening that will subsequently be cut, is cut out of the matboard with a single blade producing a bevel cut while the matboard is face down on the cutting machine. Next, the drop-out piece is placed face up on the cutting machine, and each edge is trimmed with a bevel cut opposite to the direction of the original bevel cut. The trimmed, drop-out piece is then placed back into the opening and taped in place. This results in a V-groove. Finally, the desired opening for the artwork is cut in the taped-together matboard in a conventional manner inside of the rectangular V-groove.
Other V-groove cutting systems employ cutting heads which contain two, converging blades arranged in a generally V-shaped configuration. The pointed, distal ends of the blades are arranged to just touch each other. With one such head, the blades are held stationary while the head is moved to cause the blades to cut into the matboard. As the blades are moved along the matboard, the frictional forces exerted on the blade tips tend to spread the tips apart slightly. Thus, the bottom of the groove may not completely cut. The apex or bottom of the V-groove tends to have a ragged appearance after the cut strip is pulled away from the groove.
Another type of V-groove cutting head with two blades employs a system which pivots both blades downwardly into the matboard to establish the insertion depth of the blade tips. Because the blades pivot into the matboard, there is an initial portion of each cut forming a side of the V-groove which starts at the surface of the matboard and curves forwardly and downwardly to the final depth. As a result, at each corner of the rectangular configuration of the V-grooves, there are cuts in the surface of the matboard which extend slightly beyond the rectangle. These cuts are aesthetically objectionable. Further, after the blades have been pivoted to the selected, full depth, the butting tips will tend to be spread apart as the cutting head is moved along the matboard. This can result in the bottom of the V-groove having a ragged appearance.
In view of the above-discussed deficiencies exhibited by prior art systems, it would be desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cutting a V-groove in a matboard. In particular, it would be advantageous if an improved system for creating a V-groove could be employed to provide V-grooves in a rectangular configuration, or other polygon configuration, wherein each corner of the rectangle or other polygon is free of cuts extending in the matboard surface beyond the grooves.
Further, it would be desirable if such an improved system resulted in the production of a groove wherein the bottom or apex of the V-groove is generally well-formed, straight, and smooth.
Also, it would be advantageous if such an improved groove-forming system could be effective to cut both sides of the groove so that the cuts intersect to completely sever the material within the groove from the remaining portion of the matboard so as to permit easy removal of the cut material in a way that does not require pulling or tearing of matboard material at the bottom of the groove.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved system which could be operated with a conventional straight edge as well as with conventional matboard cutting machines.
Additionally, it would be advantageous if such an improved system could be readily adjusted as desired for different groove widths, groove lengths, and matboard thicknesses.
The present invention provides an improved groove cutting system which can accommodate designs having the above-discussed benefits and features.